From sperm to embryos; lessons learnt from Tim Rowson's career

L.E.A.Rowson (1914-1989) raised horizons in farm animal research and the impact of his reproductive contributions remains of major importance worldwide. First, his studies with E.J.C. Polge on the successful deep -freezing and thawing of bull spermatozoa enabled artificial insemination to be applied on an international scale. Second, his development of non-surgical embryo transfer techniques in cattle gave a major boost to the breeding industry, facilitated by deep-frozen storage of embryos during international transport. He also guided many research students whose work in cattle, sheep and horses has become prominent during the past 60 years. (c) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Rowson's research has had a significant impact in farm animal research, with his contributions to reproduction remaining important worldwide. His studies enabled the widespread application of artificial insemination and non-surgical embryo transfer techniques, providing a major boost to the breeding industry.